Merry Manager: River’s End Ranch Series #17

by Kelley, Pamela M.

  "Have you been practicing your carols?" Dani asked as she walked in, carrying a to-go cup of coffee.

  "Very funny."

  "You brought your laptop. Why doesn't that surprise me?" Dani shook her head and set her coffee down. She went and peeked in the oven where the ribs were simmering away.

  "I didn't eat lunch. That smells amazing. Did you make the coleslaw yet?"

  "No, not yet." Wade grinned. "I may have been hoping you'd offer."

  "You just like the way I make it. Admit it."

  "I do. Everything is in the walk-in. Do you want some help?"

  "No, you can get back to your surfing." Dani disappeared into the walk-in and returned a few minutes later with two big bags of shredded cabbage, a big jar of mayonnaise, sugar, rice vinegar and carrots. She got to work mixing everything together in a big aluminum bowl and then offered a forkful to Wade to taste.

  "Perfect. And on the first try, too. You are good."

  Dani looked pleased at the compliment. "We make a good team—your ribs, my coleslaw."

  "And you covering for me this week. I just finished going through all your notes and Bernie's. I can't thank you both enough."

  Dani sat on the stool next to Wade and took a sip of her coffee.

  "I was happy to do it. I could tell you were doing too much, for too long. I talked to Mom and Dad, too. Have they said anything to you?"

  Wade wasn't sure what she was referring to. "I talked to both of them when I got home from the hospital and told them I was fine. They were quieter than usual."

  "I told them not to bother you. I also told Mom to quit it with the projects for a little while. It's too much. They need to let go."

  "You told them that?" Dani was outspoken but not usually to that extent.

  "No. Not the letting go part. Just to cut you some slack for a while. They'll be home before we know it, anyway."

  "And Bernie did a great job. She always does, but even more so now."

  "She's capable of even more and was thrilled for the chance to show you what she can do. She's going to be a strong asset for you. Don't hesitate to give her more."

  "I won't," he assured her.

  "You'll probably be glad to get back to your search and rescue duties."

  "I didn't mind having the break. It's important to take a break sometimes. It helps you to enjoy the work more when you get back to it."

  Wade grinned. "Point taken."

  "I am looking forward to the snowmobile races this week, too. That's always a highlight for me." Dani was in charge of the yearly Christmas snowmobile races that kicked off the week of holiday activities at the ranch. Every year the interest in participating grew.

  "Maybe I'll enter this year."

  Dani laughed. "Really? When was the last time you were on a snowmobile?"

  "It has been a while. But it's like riding a bike, isn't it? Can't be too hard."

  "The last thing we need is for you to be injured."

  "That's true. Maybe I'll just cheer you on instead."

  "Good idea! I need all the support I can get. There are some good athletes that have already signed up."

  "You should come with us to trivia this week."

  Dani looked at him curiously. "Who is us?"

  "A big group of us went last week. All the usual suspects—Jaclyn, Simon, the girls in the office and Maddie from the spa."

  "Really? Maddie from the spa. That's interesting. Is she going this week, too?"

  "I hope so. She said she might, if she can line up a sitter again for Vivian."

  "Have you seen her since then?"

  "Since trivia?"

  Dani nodded.

  "We went to see The Nutcracker on Saturday. Rich's daughter was in it and I thought Vivian might like it."

  "You took Maddie and her daughter out Saturday night? Did you go to dinner, too?" Dani was leaning forward on her stool, the coffee completely forgotten.

  "Well, yeah. We went to Tony's before the show."

  "I didn't realize you were dating anyone."

  "Oh, we're not dating. We're just friends. I've known Maddie for years. You know that."

  "I know it's been what five years or so since she lost her husband?"

  "Yeah, five years."

  "And she works for you, and has a child. How old is Vivian?"

  "She's eight."

  "How do you feel about her?" Dani looked concerned and Wade understood where she was coming from.

  "I like her. If she didn't work for me and was never married to one of my best friends, it would be a no-brainer. I think she's great."

  "And she hasn't really dated anyone since Tim died?"

  "No, not really. Just a couple of first dates that never went anywhere."

  "I really like Maddie, too. Just be careful. I know I don't have to tell you that it could get messy with her working for you, and especially if Vivian started to get attached and it didn't work out."

  "I know. I've had this same conversation with myself. We're just friends."

  "Well, maybe I will join you for trivia this week. I haven't gone out with all my friends in a while. Jaclyn's mentioned it to me more than once lately, too. And I do like their pizza."

  "Good, it'll be fun."

  * * *

  The ribs were a hit, as usual, and everyone was on dessert when Kelsi said what Wade suspected was on all of their minds.

  "So, are you all good now? We're not going to have to worry about any more trips to the ER anytime soon? You really scared us, you know."

  "We just want to make sure you're okay," his cousin Jess added. Everyone was at dinner this week. Usually someone was missing because people had different things going on, but tonight all of his siblings and their spouses were gathered around the table. Wade appreciated their concern and was grateful for their support.

  "I don't think it's going to happen again. It was just a perfect storm of stress, I guess. But I took this whole week off, thanks to Dani and Bernie." He smiled at Dani before adding, "It was fun filling in as Santa, too. And I've never had so many massages. Doctors orders." He looked around the table and saw the flickers of uncertainty still in some of their eyes. "Really. I'm totally fine. And I love all of you for worrying."

  He grinned. "Pass the ice cream, Will, would you? There's plenty more brownies, too. Eat up everyone."

  Wade thought that was the end of it, but once everything was cleaned up, and Kelsi and Shane were on their way home, Dani set out a fresh pot of coffee as the rest of them didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave. They always liked to linger when they got together.

  "I feel like a walk. You guys want to join me?" Will exchanged glances with his brothers and they all stood at once and waited for Wade, who was the last to move.

  "Oh, sure." He followed his brothers to the front door, where they pulled on their coats and stepped outside. It was cold, but the air was still. As long as the wind didn't pick up, it was bearable.

  "So, how are you really?" Will asked as they slowly strolled along.

  "Was it enough having the week off? Is there anything else we can do?" Wyatt added.

  Wes was quiet but nodded with his brothers and listened closely as Wade spoke to assure them that he was fine.

  "It looked far worse than it was. I don't think I'd eaten that day, so that contributed to the lightheadedness. You know I forget about meals sometimes if I'm busy and it was a crazy few months."

  "All those projects Mom and Dad insisted on," Wes said.

  Wade sighed. "I'm not blaming them. They had the best of intentions, and their ideas are good. The barn is already booking ahead for events and the kids’ corral is going to be very popular. We needed some kind of childcare here. It will mean a better experience for our guests, and more money for the ranch."

  "Well, you certainly sound fine," Will said.

  They walked for a few minutes in comfortable silence until Wyatt spoke again.

  "Is it true you're dating Maddie from the spa?" he asked.

&nbs
p; Wade looked at his brother in surprise. Wyatt wasn't normally the type to gossip. "Where did you hear that?"

  "Someone told Belinda at church today that they saw you with her and Vivian having dinner at Tony's last night.

  "Oh. Yeah, we went to The Nutcracker. We're not dating, though, just friends. I thought her daughter would like it, and you know I'm Caitlyn's godfather."

  His brothers stopped walking and stared at him.

  Will was the first to speak. "You voluntarily went to The Nutcracker?" He smiled and shook his head in amusement. "Man, you've got it bad."

  His brothers nodded in agreement.

  "It's not like that. It's...complicated," Wade said.

  "Why? Because she works for you?" Wyatt asked.

  "And I was her husband's best man."

  "I get that," Will said. "But it's been—what, five years? Tim was a good guy, but he's gone."

  "She seems like a great girl. But I'd be cautious, too," Wyatt said. "A single mom, and ultimately, you're her employer. Definitely a conflict of interest, or as you said, complicated."

  "But not impossible," Will added with a smile. "People fall in love at work all the time."

  "You just can't go there, unless you're very sure. Safest thing would be to avoid the situation entirely," Wyatt said.

  "I know, you're right." Wade turned toward the cafe. "Can we go back inside now? I'm freezing."

  Chapter 10

  It felt good to walk into the office Monday morning. Wade got there early, as usual, and ten minutes after he arrived, when he'd just sat down at his desk with his coffee, Bernie walked in. She'd always been in early but today there was a spring in her step that he hadn't seen before and she broke into a wide smile when she saw him.

  "How was your week? It's good to have you back," she said as she settled into her chair.

  "Great. After you get your coffee, come on in and let's catch up."

  Two minutes later, Bernie was sitting across from him, with a steaming mug of hot, black coffee at her side.

  "I just wanted to let you know what a great job you're doing. I appreciate all your hard work and the detailed summary email you sent at the end of the week."

  He paused and noticed Bernie sitting a little taller in her chair. If she liked the sound of that, she was going to love what he said next. He took a sip of coffee and smiled.

  "I'd like to keep you as involved, maybe even more so, going forward, if that sounds good to you?"

  Bernie beamed. "Yes, I'd love that. Thanks so much!"

  They spent the next twenty minutes getting up to speed on all their pending projects and plans for the coming holiday week. Bernie went back to her desk as Lily walked in and a few minutes later, the phones started ringing and the rest of Wade's morning flew as Bernie had him fully booked until almost noon. He thought several times about cancelling his appointment with Maddie. He'd been mulling over what Dani had said and he knew he was walking a fine line with Maddie between friendship and....something else.

  But he delayed cancelling until it was too late to do so and he had nothing else booked until after one, so at a quarter to twelve he headed off to the spa. Maddie seemed happy to see him and had the lavender candles burning that he liked. Their scent immediately made him feel relaxed—though just being around Maddie seemed to calm him, too.

  She started on his shoulders and back like she usually did, smoothing on soothing lotion and pressing all along both sides of his spine. It was a gentle, rocking motion and it seemed to release tension everywhere. It was one of his favorite things that she did when she worked on his back.

  "How does it feel to be back to work? Is it crazy busy in your office?" Maddie asked as she began to knead a tight spot on his right shoulder.

  "It's good. Mondays are always busy and we're getting ready for all the holiday events this week."

  "What's up first?"

  "Dani's kicking things off tomorrow night with the snowmobile races. That should be fun to watch, if you and Vivian want to check it out. There will be some other fun things going on for the kids too."

  "Oh, maybe we will stop by when I get out of work. Vivian will be at the ice cream shop with Violet after school, so I'll be in the area anyway."

  "And don't forget trivia on Thursday," he reminded her.

  Maddie laughed. "I'm looking forward to it. Vivian had such a good time sleeping at her grandmother's last week that they are doing it again this week. I didn't even have to ask them."

  "Great. I think Dani is going to join us this time, too. She hasn't played in a while."

  "I really like your sister. Is she seeing anyone these days?"

  "Dani? No, I don’t think so. Not that I know of anyway. She's like me. We're both too busy. We need to work on the whole balance thing."

  Maddie laughed again. "I could say the same."

  "You both should really try to stop by on Wednesday night, too, for the Christmas stroll and caroling. That's kind of my thing."

  "Your thing? Do you sing?" She sounded surprised.

  "I try. I've always had a soft spot for Christmas carols," he admitted. "We experimented one year with having a local men and women's chorus walk around singing and it was a huge hit. People join in and it brings a lot of attention to all the shops."

  "Will you be singing?" Maddie asked.

  "Maybe a little."

  "Then we'll try to come, for a little while. Vivian loves to sing Christmas carols, too. I bet she'd love if we brought her friend Violet, too."

  "The more the merrier. No pun intended."

  "Very funny. It does sound fun, though, and festive."

  * * *

  "You look really nice today." Jane, one of Maddie's co-workers in the spa, looked at her curiously as she put her jacket on to leave for the day. "Are you seeing someone?"

  "No! Why do you ask?"

  "You just look happy, and I've never seen that sweater before. It's a pretty color on you."

  "Thanks." Maddie had taken a little more care than usual when she'd dressed this week and she realized it was because she knew she was going to be seeing Wade, both yesterday and tonight. She knew they were just friends, but still she wanted to look good.

  "Maybe you're just feeling the Christmas spirit?" Jane suggested.

  Maddie smiled. "That must be it. Vivian and I are going to see the snowmobile races tonight after work. I heard there's some other activities for the kids, too."

  "They do a nice job here for the holidays. I remember being so impressed last year. I have dinner plans tonight, but I know you'll have fun. See you tomorrow."

  Maddie made her way over to the Saloon, which was much busier than usual for a Tuesday night. Sadie waved hello from behind the counter as she scooped ice cream into a cone.

  "We'll drop Violet back in a little while," Maddie said as the two girls ran by her and went outside. She followed them out and they led her to where a crowd was gathered. Dani was explaining the rules for the races and a few minutes later, the snowmobiles were off and running. As soon as they were out of sight, the other activities began and kids were everywhere, building snowmen and sledding.

  There was a fresh coat of snow as it had snowed during the night and at least three or four new inches blanketed the ground. Maddie glanced around and thought it looked like a winter wonderland. There were twinkling white lights everywhere and it started to snow lightly again as the girls worked on their snowman. Maddie was happy to stand and watch, and didn't even notice when Wade came up behind her.

  "They look like they're having fun."

  "They are. It does look like fun."

  "Wanna make one with me?"

  "You want to make a snowman? Really?" She laughed at the idea of it.

  "When was the last time you made a snowman because you wanted to, not with Vivian?"

  "Okay, let's do it."

  Wade grinned and found a patch of ground that hadn't been claimed by the kids yet and started scooping up snow. Maddie followed his lead and helped him to
build a snowman. When they finished, Wade came and stood next to her and they took a good look at it.

  “I think we did pretty good!” Maddie laughed and looked up at Wade. He was smiling down at her.

  “We did!” Wade looked like he was about to say something else when Maddie was hit from behind by two boys that were running. The impact threw her against Wade and his arms wrapped around her to keep her from falling.

  “Sorry!” the boys apologized and then continued on their way.

  “It’s okay.” She was fine, just startled and Wade’s arms were still around her, holding her tightly against him. She felt safe, and warm in his arms.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked softly. His face was so close to hers, their mouths just a few inches apart. He moved a little closer and she caught her breath, and her heart started to race. It felt like he was going to kiss her. That she really wanted him to took her by surprise. She panicked and took a deep breath.

  “I’m fine. Thanks for catching me.”

  Wade smiled and leaned back, and let go. Maddie let out a sigh of what, relief? Disappointment? Maybe a little bit of both.

  “Let’s see what the girls think of our snowman,” she said.

  “Where are the girls?” Wade was looking in the direction that they’d last seen them. The snowman they built together was there and finished, but the girls were no where in sight. A frisson of fear worked its way up Maddie’s spine.

  “I don’t know. It’s not like Vivian to run off.” Guilt flooded in. Her focus was always on Vivian. On keeping her safe and knowing where she was at all times. She’d been focusing on herself and took her eyes off her daughter. She didn’t pay attention and now Vivian had disappeared.

  “Wade, what if someone took her, and Violet too? I was supposed to be watching both of them!”

  “You were watching them. We were right here. We’ll find them.”

  “I took my eyes off of her. Girls get taken all the time. It can happen anywhere.”

  “It’s not going to happen at River’s End Ranch. Not on my watch.” Wade stood tall and took charge and Maddie wanted to believe him.

  “I’m going to go make an announcement.” Wade walked over to where Bernie stood by a microphone. She was holding a clipboard and had earlier used it to explain to the crowd what the rules were for the snowman-building contest. He whispered something to her and then took the microphone.